Chronic wasting disease (CWD) – a fatal disease found in deer, elk, reindeer and moose that affects their central nervous system – was found in three new wildlife management zones in 2017.
The new zones CWD was found in are 44, 39 and 3. This means that CWD has been found in 32 of 83 zones in Saskatchewan.
“This disease is obviously expanding on the landscape and remains a concern for wildlife management in the province,” Ministry of Environment’s Executive Director of Fish, Wildlife and Lands Branch Brant Kirychuk said.
So far this year, 36 animals have tested positive for the disease. The positive animals range from one-and-a-half to 11 years old, with the bulk of the positives being in the three to four year age range.
“Hunters are encouraged to test their harvested animals for the disease. Heads must be submitted to a Ministry of Environment field office no later than January 8, 2018,” Kirychuk said.
A human case of CWD has never been confirmed, but hunters are advised not to eat parts of the animal that haven’t been tested or parts that have tested positive.